


Fatherhood

by SerenaJones



Series: Enter The Vault [4]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Parenthood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 14:41:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28530129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SerenaJones/pseuds/SerenaJones
Summary: Seto's daughter meets Jou's son. Kids say the darnedest things.
Relationships: Jounouchi Katsuya | Joey Wheeler/Kaiba Seto
Series: Enter The Vault [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2088705
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18





	Fatherhood

“That’s my swing set,” the little girl said imperiously. “You have to play over there.”

Yoshi looked where she was pointing. All the other kids were on the other swing set, or some other playground equipment. He was the only one on the set by the fence. He and this girl.

Papa had told him this was a really really super school and it had been really hard to get Yoshi into first grade here. Yoshi promised he would try really hard to be cool, and be good, and not cause any trouble. But he didn't see how he could cause trouble on the swing set.

“I can’t watch the cars go by from there,” he observed. “How do you own the swings anyway?”

She huffed. “You’re new and stupid. You have to play with everybody else over there because I’m special, and you won’t like playing with me. Nobody ever does.”

He stopped swinging. “I thought being special was good.”

“It is. I’m better than you.”

“How can you be better if nobody wants to play with you?” Yoshi began swinging again. “That’s not special, that's bad. Only bad people don’t have friends.”

Suddenly the girl began wailing.

“Huh?” Yoshi looked at her in shock as the crying girl ran back to the teachers. He hadn’t intended to make her cry. He got up from the swing, feeling a funny knot in his chest. Papa always said if you don’t feel right after you say something, you probably said the wrong thing. It was true that bad people don’t have friends, but he didn’t think she was bad. He didn’t want her to cry.

He ran over to the teachers as well. If nobody else was her friend, he would be one.

* * *

Seto watched Ichiko pick at her dinner. Clearly she did not want to discuss the incident at school. “Fine,” he sighed. “Tell me five buildings you saw on the drive home today.”

“We passed the shrine, the American Embassy, the park with the playground, the post office and a bank.”

“Which shrine?”

Ichiko thought for a moment. “Akasaka.”

“The American Embassy or the American Embassy dorm?”

He quizzed his daughter on her observation skills, and she answered well.

“Enough. What caused you to cry at school today?” She looked back at her plate. “Are you being bullied again? Do I need to find another new school?” She shook her head. “Did your teacher give me a false report? Was it another student that burst into tears on the playground?”

“No, Otousama.”

“Then what happened?”

“Yoshi said I was a bad person because I don’t have friends.”

“I see. This Yoshi. Who is he?”

“He’s new. He’s from America.”

“Even more reason to have him removed. Fine. I’ll see to it tomorrow.”

“But then I won’t have any friends!”

“What?”

“Yoshi said I was bad because I don’t have any friends so he’ll be my friend so I can be good now!”

Seto rubbed his temple. “And a month from now, this ‘good’ friend will want something. Or his parents will. Better to eliminate the issue now."

"But Yoshi's my friend!"

"You have other friends."

"No I don't! Everyone's afraid of me or they're too stupid to understand me!"

Seto almost smiled. "I'm afraid that you will have to learn to accept that you are smarter than most people you know. If they don't understand you, you will have to wait and make friends with people who do.

* * *

Joey arrived at the school's after care center five minutes before the late fee charge.

"Cutting it close, Jounouchi-san," Takachi-sensei chuckled.

"Twice in a row, right? But I gotta hustle. I gotta get him home and fed, and get back to the studio. Where is he? I figured he'd be waiting."

"You are not actually last tonight. Kai-chan is still here."

"Oooooh, Kai-chan, huh? I've been hearing about her. Sounds like my son likes dragonladies." Joey looked toward the playroom door. "Yo, Yoshi!" he shouted. "Come on, dude, gotta roll." A full minute went by with no response. "Yoshi?"

"They were both in there just a moment ago," the teacher fretted and rushed forward.

Yoshi and Ichiko sat together next to a half built castle. They both looked mornfully at the adults.

"You are here!" Takachi-sensei sighed, relieved. "Why didn't you respond when your father called you?"

"Yeah, dude, we gotta get going."

"Can we wait for Kai-chan's papa?"

"Not tonight, Yoshi. Maybe tomorrow."

Yoshi looked pensively at Kai-chan, then crossed the room to his father.

"Ok, we'll -" Joey stopped when he felt his son tug on his shirt. Bend down. He sighed but stooped down. "Tsuyoshi, what's going on? You gotta get dinner, and I gotta get back to work."

"Kai-chan's worried, so I told her I'd wait with her."

Joey had to smile, but tried to hide it. "You're a good kid. But Sensei's here, right? So Kai-chan won't be alone, so -"

"But she's my girl! I promised!"

"Your girl?" Joey coughed trying not to snicker at the earnest 6-year-old. "You promised your girl you'd wait with her?" Yoshi nodded.

Joey looked at his watch and sighed. He had an hour to get Yoshi to his sister's condo and get back to work. He wouldn't have left at all except Serenity's train was late coming in and the late pick up fee was 1000¥.

He sighed again. "A man doesn't break a promise. Especially to his girl."

"YAY!"

"But we can only stay a few minutes, okay?"

"Okay!" He ran back to the dejected looking girl.

Joey stood up again. "Any idea when this guy will get here?" he asked the teacher.

"Any moment, I'm sure," Takachi-sensei replied. "He's never been late before."

"Yeah. Cool." Then an idea hit him. "I think I can kill two birds with one stone. Be back in ten. You won't charge me, right?"

She pretended to think. "At eleven minutes, I double the fee."

He laughed. "Ten!"

He hurried around the corner and down two streets. McDonald's golden arches were wedged between the combini and the dry cleaners. He got two kid's meals, two milks, and two coffees. His budget could survive that much.

"Did I make it?" he asked, bounding back into the school.

Takachi-sensei checked her watch. "Just barely." He handed her a coffee.

"Okay, guys!" Joey handed them each a bag and a milk. "Dinner. And I didn't pick the toy, so you get what you get."

"Cool! Thanks, Papa!" Yoshi dug in.

Kai-chan looked inside dubiously. "My father says poor people food makes you stupid and fat."

"Kai-chan! That was very rude," Takachi-sensei admonished the girl. "Apologise to Jounouchi-san. And thank him for thinking of you. He didn't have to get you anything."

The girl glowered at the teacher. Then her eyes shifted to Yoshi, happily eating his chicken nuggets and french fries. "Thank you," she said begrudgingly. She pulled out a nugget and bit it. She looked surprised as she chewed and swallowed. "This is just breaded chicken!"

"That's all kid," Joey laughed and ruffled her hair. "You two eat, and drink your milk. Me and sensei are gonna chat since I'm here."

"Okay, Papa!"

Joey grabbed his coffee. He and the teacher went out to the hall.

"So, how's he doing?"

She laughed. "Jounouchi-san, he's been here two weeks and he already has a girlfriend. Yoshi is fitting in fine. Truly. Children do not see economic lines at this age."

"Yeah? Well, I remember being the poor kid, so I'm trying to keep him away from that. How's his Japanese?"

"Fine. He hasn't seemed to have any trouble communicating. Oh, and Kai-chan's father wanted her to find a native English speaker as a language partner, so there's that." She sipped her drink and smiled. "Actually, Yoshi has already performed a miracle. Kai-chan was here for preschool, and I've never seen her this happy."

"That's her happy? Yikes. Remind me not to make her mad."

A light by the office door flashed and a bell chimed.

"The door," Takachi-sensei said as she moved back toward the playroom. "Kaiba-san must be here."

"Who?" Joey asked, following. He hadn't quite caught the name. He thought he heard 'Kaiba'.

In the playroom, Takachi and Joey were greeted by a standoff.

Yoshi was standing protectively in front of Kai-chan.

In front of him stood an exasperated Kaiba Seto.

* * *

The car ride was silent, neither father nor daughter speaking.

Ichiko was curious, though. She wanted to ask why her father had actually looked shocked when he saw Yoshi's father. Why Yoshi's father had simply picked the boy up and left with him. Why they seemed to know each other, but didn't say a word in greeting. She opened her mouth to speak, and belched instead.

"And it begins," her father sighed. "You'll be fine. We have something for your stomach at home. Do you want to lay down?"

"Yes," she belched again,"Otousan. Sorry, Otousan." She covered her mouth with both hands trying to stop it from happening again.

He sighed again, and coaxed her into laying her head on his lap. He rubbed her stomach as she heard the window slide open.

Her father always rubbed her stomach when she felt bad. It pushed all the stinky air out, which was bad, but his hands were strong and warm, and she cherished the moments he touched her.

Her father was very busy and very important, and Ichiko knew it was bad of her to get sick and take his time away from more important things. Especially today, when she wanted him to do something for her.

She yawned, and belched again. At least he had not had time to make Yoshi go away. Maybe after seeing how brave he was her father would change his mind about removing her friend.

* * *

"Papa!" Joey was greeted at the door by his son's strident voice. "Kai-chan wasn't at school today!"

"What are you doing up?" Joey demanded. It was after midnight. "Renie, what the hell?"

His sister shrugged. "He refused to go to bed. He's actually more stubborn than you." She yawned. "He's your little demon and I have to go back to mom's shop tomorrow. I'll probably be down there the rest of the week." She trudged off to bed.

"Renie, aw -"

"Papa!"

"- come on! I need you to -"

"Papa?!"

"Ugh!" Serenity groaned. "Your demon, your dragon. You deal. Mom is enough!" She closed the bedroom door firmly.

"Papa!?"

"WHAT?" Joey exploded.

Yoshi was unphased. "Kai-chan didn't come to school today."

"Oh."

"Why?!"

"How should I know, dude? Maybe the dragons had a village to burn down." Joey sat heavily on the couch. He lifted one arm, and Yoshi, dutifully, moved in for a hug. "Tsuyoshi." He let the boy go to look him in the eye. "Listen. This school. Look, I know you just started, but…. What if you had to change schools?"

"But I like this school."

"Yeah," Joey sighed. "It's a really good school. It's probably the best."

"Kai-chan said her papa only picks the best everything."

"Yeah." Joey nodded. "I'll bet he does."

"You don't like her papa, do you."

"I -" he hesitated. "What makes you say that?"

"That's the same face you made at the man at the gubernet office."

Joey thought for a moment then half smiled. Gubernet, government. "When I had to register you. Right. He did look like Moneybags."

"How did he look like money bags?"

Joey chuckled and grabbed the boy. "Better question - how come you don't look like a messy bed?"

"I'm not sleepy!" he asserted. Then he yawned. "Honest!"

"Uh-huh. Come on. Bed time. Getting you up in the morning is gonna be impossible."

"Is Kai-chan gonna be at school tomorrow?"

"You're just gonna have to get up on time to find out."

* * *

Seto ended the video call and turned off the recorder. He forwarded the file to his secretary for transcription and meeting minutes.

It had been more than a year since Ichiko had suffered from severe abdominal distress, so he thought it best that she stay home an extra day to recover. Not that she was allowed to sleep and play all day; the school provided him the daily lesson plan anytime she was out and he kept a tutor on retainer. But she was home so she could rest and take breaks when she needed to. She usually finished the work early, and then she was allowed to play if she wished.

He actually didn't mind staying home with his daughter, not since he redesigned his home office to be almost identical to the one at the corporate headquarters. The only thing he couldn't do was walk down the hall to see an employee.

Additionally, the set up allowed him to leave the office every day at 6pm to pick Ichiko up from school. They had dinner together, then if he needed to return to work he could conveniently do so without leaving the house.

This week was the first time something had ever detained him and made him late to get his daughter.

He sighed, thinking of it. He had given the school very strict dietary guidelines. He'd even provided meals and snacks for her for days when the school's provided lunch ran counter to his instructions.

Who would have thought that the mutt would show up with a mongrel of his own?

There was a firm knock on his door. Seto smiled to himself. Not timid or scared, but self assured and assertive. Not the knock of a child. "Come in," he called out. Ichiko came in, looking serious and carrying some papers. "I haven't finished my day yet. Did you need something?"

"I want a contract," the child stated.

"A contract," Seto repeated. "And just what is a contract?"

"It's a trade that you write down."

He nodded. "Incomplete, but true. Very well. What is this trade for and with whom?"

"It's with you." She offered him the papers. "I want immuntee."

Ichiko had written kanji in neat block columns. Her first contract.

"Immuntee. Immunity?" Seto took the pages. "I… see."

His phone rang. He let it roll to voicemail. "So, if I understand this, you would like me to promise that you may have one new friend that I cannot dispute or interfere with," he said, reading. "And in trade, what do you offer? To be good, and to never get sick? Hmm." He looked at her. His daughter looked pensive. "One of the things required in a contract, is that you must be able to do the thing you promise. You cannot promise to never get sick. And I will not allow you to promise in writing to 'be good'." He picked up a pen, crossed out the line and began writing. "You can, however, agree to not eat the foods we know will make you sick. Now, for my end. I have conditions. This friend must be your age, and you must know them personally. I will not allow any online friends. You understand?"

"Yes, Otousama."

"I want to meet this friend, and their family, and they will be vetted by security. If they pass, then, yes. I will agree."

"Really?" Her whole body looked excited, her deep blue eyes all but sparkling. Seto struggled not to laugh.

"You are beginning your educational career. Over the next twelve years, you will need to expand your support network beyond Mokuba-oji and myself. I think a 'best friend' would be an excellent place to start. Get to know your classmates, see which of the girls have talents or temperaments that align with your own. When you have selected someone, let me know."

Ichiko frowned a bit. "Can we sign now?"

"Sign?"

"Mokuba-oji said that it's just words until it's signed."

"So your uncle is teaching contract law now, eh? I see." He had to chuckle. "Very well. Come here."

She came around the desk. He pulled her into his lap, and handed her a pen. She started to sign immediately, but he stopped her.

"Just a moment. You haven't read all the changes I made. Never sign something you haven't read and don't understand. It's worse than a dog bite." She made a face and Seto snickered outright.

He picked up his own pen. "Now, read the contract aloud from the beginning." At each line he made sure she understood what she'd read. At every change, they both initialled the document. At the bottom, she eagerly but carefully wrote her name. Seto signed his next to hers. "Are we finished yet?"

"Mokuba-oji said important contracts have a witness to notify it."

"Notarized." Seto grinned again. "Very well." He tapped his phone. "I have a document I need notarized." He hung up and looked back at his daughter. "Is there anything else?"

"No, Otousama."

There was a tap on the door, then Roland entered with a notary kit. "Yes, sir."

Seto slid the contract to him. "Bring me back the original, file a copy with my personal contracts. Make a copy for her as well."

Roland's lips twitched as he looked over the document. "Certainly, sir." He looked at Seto. "I might point out, sir, that I didn't witness the actual signing of the document. May I ask if this is your signature?"

Seto looked at the document again. "Yes, I signed that."

"Thank you. Kaiba-chan, did you sign this?"

"Right there," she pointed to her name, confused.

"Thank you. I must be sure, you see, before I sign here." He stamped the paper and then began writing as he spoke. "I swear...that on this day the…"

"Twenty fifth," Seto supplied.

"...twenty fifth of January, Kaiba... Seto.... and Kaiba... Ichiko, both known to me.... before me signed…." He stopped speaking and wrote a few more lines. He pulled out a press, put the page in it, and pushed down. He showed her the decorative, upraised ring it left on the paper. "If you can feel the bumps, you know you have the original, not a copy."

"Is it finished?" she asked.

"Yes," Seto replied. "You may have one unassailable friend, to be determined -" Ichiko pulled the paper back and began writing. "Just a minute! You cannot change anything now. That is not how contracts work."

"But I want to put my friend's name on it!" Ichiko gave him a pleading look worthy of the cutest kicked puppy.

"I believe an amendment while all parties are at the original negotiation could be allowed, sir."

"Hmm. Taking her side against me, are we?" Seto looked down at his hopeful daughter. "Understand. If you put your friend's name in the contract, and they do not pass security, I could say that you cannot choose another because the contract is binding. Do you understand what binding means?"

"Binding means neither of us can change it."

"Some decisions should not be rushed," Roland observed.

Ichiko began writing again. "It's ok. Mokuba-oji told me he was cleared by security years ago." She drew a box around what she wrote, initialled it, and offered her father the pen.

'My friend is Jounouchi Tsuyoshi'

* * *

Joey looked at the invitation in his hand. Rice paper card stock, solid white except for the blue foil eyes of the three embossed dragons.

The Jounouchi Family is cordially invited to join the Kaiba Family for dinner, at 6pm on Saturday….

The envelope had been hand delivered to the school by Mokuba. The younger Kaiba brother was waiting when Joey arrived to pick up Yoshi.

“Jou!” The young man had greeted him with a hug. “Great to see you! How have you been?”

“Can’t complain. How about you?”

“I’m nuts. I’m working on my master’s thesis, and Nii-sama wants me to run half the company when I’m not in class.” He had waved it off. “Same old same old. Since when do you have a clone?”

Joey had chuckled. “It happens.”

“I knew he was yours when I walked in the door! He looks just like you. Your wife had nothing to do with him,” Mokuba had laughed.

“Yeah, uh, not actually married. His mom, well, things didn’t work out.”

“Oh, man! I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It happens.” He had shrugged. “It’s all good.”

“OH! Before I forget, here.” That's when Mokuba gave him the envelope. “Dinner, next weekend.”

“”Oh, uh, I - I don’t -”

“Relax,” the younger man had laughed. “Ichiko set it up. Only person on the planet who can pull a fast one on Nii-sama and live to tell! It’s fancy paper because the ‘empress’ can’t do anything simple, but it’s just the three of us, and we’ll probably do miso and rice balls, nothing fancy.” He had looked confused suddenly. “Wait. When I told the kid -”

“Tsuyoshi,” Joey had corrected.

“Tsuyoshi, right. I told him I was waiting for you and he said he thought his mom was going to get him today.”

“Serenity. He calls her ‘Mom’.”

“Serenity’s back? And I am not asking about how twisted that sounds. I had a massive crush on her way back when! Bring her on Saturday. Wait - is she single?”

“Yeah. I don’t want to get into it, but yeah, Renie basically his mom.”

“Well, whatever. I would love to see her again.”

"Uh, yeah, so yeah, uh, if we don't have plans, uh…"

"Jou," Mokuba had laughed. "Just come. It's important to my niece. And Nii-sama learned how to relax some."

"Finally took the stick out?"

"I said relax, not a miracle occured!" He had laughed again. "Look, a couple hours, a free meal, and the empress will keep Big Bro on his best behavior."

Joey had had the invitation for a day, and he still wasn't sure about going.

"Katsuya!"

Serenity's voice jolted him out of his thoughts. He adjusted the phone receiver. "Yeah, I'm here, I'm here. So I know you'll be tired. I'll tell them Saturday's not good. I'm sure this is just, y'know, obligation or whatever."

"Aniki, I said it's fine. Mom's assistant will be back tomorrow, so I was planning to come back Saturday morning anyway. Are we going somewhere or is it at their house? I don't want to dress up if I don't have to."

"Mokuba said casual, but Yoshi said Kai-chan told him to wear a kimono."

"God! She sounds just as pushy as her father."

* * *

??

* * *

"Welcome," Seto said, as his guests entered.

No staff today, just family. Saturday was Kaiba family day. Mokuba had convinced Seto that some of his best memories were of the two of them doing chores together. So in the interest of bonding with his daughter, Seto had agreed - one day a week, they did whatever needed to be done together and without servants whenever possible. Cooking, cleaning, shopping. It had made for some frustrating events, but for some very entertaining events as well.

So, Seto opened the door and served the drinks. One of the cooks had prepped the components, but Mokuba and Ishiko did the actual cooking. Ishiko set the table. Mokuba brought a turine of soup to the table.

"Ok, I think I made enough for Jou," he grinned, "but I don't know what the rest of us are gonna eat!"

"You should have made enough for everybody," Ishiko admonished her uncle seriously. "Kaiba is not stingy!"

The adults chuckled. "Mokuba-oji is making a joke," Seto explained. "He is teasing Jounouchi, based on his appetite."

Ishiko frowned and thought. "Tease. To make fun of. To provoke. To sort out irrelevant information. To tempt." She looked sharply at Mokuba. "Mean jokes aren't funny!"

"Ishi, c'mon, relax!" Mokuba gave her a playful shake. "Don't be so serious all the time. Jou knows I'm only kidding him. And I made plenty of food for everyone."

"So I'm thinking she takes after you, Kaiba," Jou smirked. "Too smart for her own good?"

"Only stupid people think I'm too smart," Ishiko responded in her own defense. "Intellectual people don't socialize with everybody. You have to be gifted to play with me."

"Oh!" Yoshi perked up. "I get it! You want everybody at school to act like your papa. That's why you're mean sometimes."

"My otousama is smarter than everybody."

"I bet he can't climb the swing set."

"My otousama can do anything!"

"Oh my God," Mokuba laughed as the children bickered. "Deja Vous!"

"I don't understand," Seto looked amused rather than confused. "Are they friends or not?"

"We're still asking that about you two," Serenity poked.

Jou looked at Seto. Seto shrugged and sipped his wine. "Jury's still out," but Jou grinned as he said it.

* * *

"It's Katsuya's," Serenity snickered. "From his Shichi-go-san. Mom had it." She looked at her brother fondly. "I forgot to bring the pictures with me."

Jou rolled his eyes. "Nobody needs to see that!"

* * *

Mokuba put his bowl down and wiped his mouth. "Serenity, this is your first time here, isn't it? How about a tour?"

"A tour?" She hesitated.

"Yeah. Dessert can wait, and it's Nii-sama's turn to do the dishes. You haven't seen the world famous gardens."

"A proper tour has to have the paintings in the living room, the pretty rug in the hallway, and the butterfly kimono," Ichiko pointed out. "And my room."

"All that, and more." Mokuba gestured broadly. "How could you say no?"

"I agree." Seto stood and began clearing the table. "You take our guests on a tour of the house. By the time you return, I'll have coffee and dessert ready."

"Ok, dude, you heard the man!" Joey grinned at Yoshi. "This place is like a museum. Come on."

But Yoshi frowned. "Papa," he whispered, "isn't it kind of mean to make Kaiba-papa clean up all by himself?"

Joey grinned wider. "It's ok. He likes being by himself."

Yoshi bit his lip. "Oh." He thought for a minute. At their home, they alway cleaned up after dinner together. It was fun that way. "Ok. I want to stay and help clean up."

"Yoshi," Joey messed his hair. "You don't have to do that. Mokuba invited us. It's ok."

"You can't stay with Otousama!" Ichiko stomped her foot. "You're my friend! I have a contract!"

"Huh?" Yoshi looked at her, confused.

But Joey snickered. "Figures. Ok, ok! I've been here before, so tell you what. You take the tour and keep her happy, and I'll stay here so her old man doesn't get lonely. Sound good?"

* * *

Jounouchi Tsuyoshi  
Mother Hitomi. One night stand and abandoned him at the hospital. Born the same day Serenity had a late term miscarrage. Is an ‘emotion prodigy’ and age-fluent in Japanese and English.

Kaiba 海馬 Ichiko  
Kaiba 海馬 Seto 瀬人  
Mother unknown. Tricked Seto into impregnating her and tried to blackmail him into marriage. Seto sued for sole custody on the grounds that anyone who would use such methods is unfit to raise a child. Lactose intolerant. A piano and mathematics prodigy, she is also age-fluent in Japanese, German, French, and English.

**Author's Note:**

> Haven't decided if Mokuba and Serenity are a thing; she's pretty hurt right now and Mokie isn't the guy who can heal that now. Could he be? Maybe.
> 
> Also, I do know that Yoshi and Ichiko are destined to be best friends, not lovers. Ichiko is lesbian and Yoshi will be in a triad.


End file.
